1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the creation of a connection, enabling communication across a communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an Internet browser a user is able to access the Internet, one of the communication networks, while using a personal computer (PC) that incorporates a communication function, and can use the access that is afforded to search for information available from Internet servers. However, when the user desires to link up with another network, such as that which is represented by the public telephone system, based on information obtained by using an Internet browser, the user either must employ another communication device, or must record the relevant connection information and use communication software other than the Internet browser to link to the other network.
When, for example, a pager calling number is provided by a server that is connected to the Internet and a user desires to dial that number, the user either must use an ordinary telephone set to dial the recorded pager number displayed on the screen, or must temporarily terminate his or her use of the Internet browser that is being employed for the search process and dial the number using pager calling software, such as the Pocket-Bell Messenger that is available from J. C. N.land Co., Ltd. ("J. C. N.land" and "Pocket-Bell Messenger" are trademarks of J. C. N.land Co., Ltd.). If, while a user were employing the Internet browser, he or she could immediately dial a pager number extracted from information obtained using an Internet browser, a reduction would be possible in both the time required for the connection and in the amount of work required of the user.
The Internet links various types of networks, such as the Ethernet, the FDDI, X.25 packet switched networks, the ISDN and the private line, to form an interconnected grouping of networks. Hosts that are connected to different types of communication media can communicate with each other without having to take low level operating differences into consideration. A plurality of communication techniques are combined and united to provide the architecture for a wide ranging network system, one that can not be obtained using the facilities provided by isolated network architectures. Thus it is possible for a user to access information that is available worldwide. However, as the Internet is a worldwide network, and in accordance with its positive aspects does provide great advantages for users, on the network there is an increased risk that the security and secrecy of information will be compromised. That is, on a network, such as the Internet, that comprises a wide ranging, complicated grouping of interconnected networks, the environment in which the network devices and communication cables are located is not always secure, and data can be trapped by tapping an Ethernet LAN cable, or can be captured from an on-line terminal board.
On the Internet, in most cases information is exchanged across a plurality of networks. To insure there is adequate security during the exchange of secret information, data must be enciphered, and transmission routes must be selected along which highly secure locations are provided for such devices as gateways. A user, therefore, in addition to other expenses, must purchase enciphering software, and has the additional task of selecting a route along which adequate security is provided. Further, because of the restrictions that the United States has placed on the export of enciphering devices, the types of enciphering devices and the enciphering software that are available world-wide are limited. Although on-line trading, such as on-line shopping, is technically possible on the Internet, when the current Internet is used, the password and the credit card number of a user may be snared for subsequent illegal employment.
To resolve the shortcomings encountered with security, one technique that is employed involves the use of what is called a firewall. To protect an internal network (intranet) from unwanted intrusions, a host uses a firewall, which is positioned between the internal network and the Internet, to limit external data communication access. This technique, however, while it ensures that security will be maintained within an organization, does not provide any security for the exchange of information that occurs outside the firewall. For the transmission of highly secret data, the use of a network that provides greater security than the internet, such as a facsimile transmission system, is conventionally resorted to as the easiest method by which to provide the level of security that is required. In this case, while an Internet browser is being used, it is also for another network, such as the aforementioned facsimile transmission system, to be immediately employed based on information acquired by the Internet browser.